Toy vehicle



.Time 1923. l,457,g42

.1. c. KAsHMl-:RE ET Al.

TOY VEHICLE Filed Feb. 23, 1922 o7 L". fwshmere Patented June 5,r 1923.

* UNIT-ED STATES'i PATENT oFFlcn JonN o @KAsHM-nnn- AND JAMES K. nominee, or wILKns-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA, "AssIGNons 'ro WALTER c. WILLIAMsfor waxes-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA.

TOY VEHICLE.

Appnctionmed Ferury 23, 1922.l seri'i No, 538,685.

To all who/mitl may concern.' 1 c c Be it known thatl we, JOHNA C. KASHM'ERE and JAMES -K. ROBERTS, 'citizens' ofy the United States, residing at Wilkes-Barre, lin the countyof Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in r,lfoy Vehicles, ,ofh which the following'is a specification. j' y c This inventionrelates to childs foot-propelled toy vehicles, the primary object of they invention being to generally simplify and j improve the constructionY and operation of such'devices,y as well 'as toenhance efficiency of the same. j

A further .object of thefinvention is,y to provide a. toy vehicle of that 'type wherein the child seats itself upon the vehicle 'and propels the samerby applying Vthey feet to the ground, and wherein rthe danger of breakage or derangementof the various parts of thevehicle is reducedto the minimum, and wherein its operation'is smooth and regular. i

A further object of the invention is -to proadaptable tolchildren ofvarious sizes, that is, the platform and steering mechanism may be elevated or-loweredhas' desired vto accommodate .itself to the vsize ofthe child, improved locking means being'emplo'yed yfor holding thesevadjustable parts rigidly in the required positions. j.' j'

Withzthese and"v otherobj ect's' in' view, the invention consists ofthe featuresof'jcOnstruction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter" fully' described `and claimed,y reference being had tothe accompanying drawing, in whichzf, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view taken ,through a' toy vehicle ,constructedY in accordance with the invention, c

Figure 2 is a'fragmentary horizontal plan view'of v.therear portion of the vehicle, 'and Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view 'taken through `the front wheels of thevehicle and the steering post thereof.'

'.j Referring nowk more particularly'to'the drawing,- the-supporting frame of 'the'.vehicleis indicated atlfl. The,.:fr'a'me:is, inthe presentfinstance,formed of metal tubing vof comparatively small diameter, .so as tov be of light weight yand yet possess "suiicient strength towithstand. the strains to which thevehiclewillrbeysubjected. .j Near the rear end ofthe tube 'constituting' the 'greater porvide a toy of the character stated which is 'tion of 'the'frame '4 there is secured' av T- union 5,' the rear'end of the union having secured-therein the forwardend o'f a section 6"constit'uting" av part vof frame 4, while a hollow sleeve 7 is secured in the upstandingportion of the .union`5. The rear` end of* pipe section '6 -is connected with a T-joint o'r uniony 8, the latter'being disposed laterally of'frame 4,'and receives at its ends axle casings 9. A j j 'l V The rear axle for the-vehicle is'indicated gene'rallyf'at 10 andisrotatably mounted 'within'union 8 and'aXle casings 9, protruding at its ends beyond the extremities'ofsaid Yaxle casing's'and having wheels 11 of suit' able size rotatably mounted thereon. A washer'flQ is interposed between the inner face of eachv wheel and the edge ofv lthe' adjacent ltubular section 9, to minimize fric'- tionas' will be understood.' The axle' 10 `eX- t'end's'entirely through wheelsv 11, 'and its ends yare upset or mushroomed as at 13 to maintain the wheels permanently'l attached tothe'axle ends# Washers la may be inter.- posed between the overturnedends of the a'Xle andthe adjacent wheel surfaces",v c y The'. sleeve 7' extending upwardly from" union 5 ysnugly receives a standard.v 15, the latter beingl secured at .its upper end to a seat or platform Aindicated at 16. TheA stand- $5. ard' ".15 is relatively. long and' prot'rudesl through-an "openingin the` lower `portion o'f'T-union 5,as shown in Figure l, f "This standard'y 151is adjustable longitudinally' inthe' sleeve 7, and is to be `maintained rigidly in any off4 its many `positions `of ad-y justnient." To vfacilitate this adjustment and to "rigidly [hold the standard adjusted positions, the" sleeve 7 upon one side isv slit v f inwardly from its upper edge as at 17, and '95.,y the "upper lend ;of the` sleeve is reinforcedk .or enlarged fas'. at 18 andlis provided with outwardly 'extending spaced parallel ears 19, one attached to .the sleeve upon `each "sidef of't'he'slit' '17., and connected by a bolt'20'100" and carriefsat its forward end a T-union 21. 11,0

The body of 'this union member has its open ends disposed vertically and receives a hollow steering post rIbis steering post is inserted from the lower end Aof the said union and is rotatably mounted in the latter. The lower extremity of the steering post is rigidly connected with the upstanding portion of a horizontally disposed T union 23, and a sleeve 2l is interposed ben tween the said upstanding portion of union 23 and the lower edge of union 2l. The laterally disposed arms of union constitute a housing for front axle 25 of the vehicle, and the extremities of this axle rotatably carry the forward or steering wheels 26 of the vehicle; the said wheels being affixed to the axle ends in the same manner as are the'rear wheels ll of the vehicle to the rear axle.

The hollow steering post 22 snugly receives the standard or guide post 2T, the latter being adjustable wit-hin the said post. The steering post 22 protrudes a slight distance above the upper end of union 2l, and this protruding end is enclosed by a collar 2S. This collar is provided with an aperture adapted to aline with al similar aperture in the underlying' steering post 22, the said apertures threadedly receiving the shank of a set screw 29. The inner extremity of this threaded shank of screw 29 engages the guide post or standard 27 and maintains steering post 22 and sleeve 28 rigidly with the said standard. The upper extremity of the standard is provided with handle bars indicated at 8O to be gripped by the hands of the child to steer the vehicle.

j The several parts of the vehicle may be constructed of any suitable material. In the present instance, for the purpose of illustration only, the frame l is constructed of light rigid metal, as is sleeve 7 and the steering post. The axle and its housing are of suitable metal, while the'axle for the steering wheels and its housing and supporting elements are also of proper metallic construction. The platform or seat 16 and the handle bars 30 are constructed of wood, while the wheels l1 and 26 may be either of wood, or metal. The several. parts connecting with the various unions which are employed may be threaded, brazed or pinned thereto. it being essential only that they be'rigidly connected with their various connecting parts.

, In operating the device, it will be understood that the child seats itself upon platform 16 and grasps the handle bars 30. The steering wheels may be readily turned by manipulating the handle bars, and the vehicle is propelled by the child pushing upon the ground with kits feet. lVhen it is desired to change the distance of the seat and handle bars from the ground, it is but necessary to loosen the nut upon bolt 2O and s et screw 29, whereupon the proper adjustments of the standards 15 and 27 may be made. When this has been done the bolt and set screw may be `ti ;ht ened to rigidly hold the parts in their new adjusted position. i l.

By constructing the device in the manner specified, it is apparent that there has been provided a childs self-propelled vehicle presenting a rigid structure capable of withstanding the strains to which it will necessarily be subjected in use, which can not become readily broken or disordered, which will operate efficiently, and which will not be of such weight as to preclude its use children` of tender age. l

In rehicles of a like nature heretofore proposed, and to a great extent used, the rear wheels have been mounted upon wooden pintles, and the steering post, constructed of wood, passes through the forward end of the wooden platform of the vehicle. A very common objection to such device is that should the vehicle become wet the pintles will swell, as will the steering )ost of the vehicle, in manyvinstances precluding :further use of the vehicle until repairs of a more or less elaborate nature have' been made. By constructing the device in the manner above specied, these objections are wholly overcome, as the presencel of moisture upon the various movable parts will not impair the operation thereof.

Vhile the above is a description of the invention in its preferred embodimenhit will be understood that various changes yin the construction and .arrangement of'parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined 'by the claims.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim f l. In a toy vehicle, a frame includinga longitudinal bar, an axle carried at the rear end of the bar, rear wheels carried by said axle, a `T-union at the forward end of the bar. a steering post rotatably mounted in said T-union, av second T-union at the lower end of said steering post, a front axle jour-l naled in said second Tunion, front wheels carried by said front axle, and handle bars carried by said steering post.

2. In a toy vehicle, a frame including a longitudinal bar, an axle carried at the r'ear end of the bar, rear wheelsl carried by said axle, a steering post rotatably mountedat the forward end ofthe bar, a T -union at the lower end of said steering post, a frontaXle journaled in said T-union, front wheels carried by said front axle, and handle `bars carrier by said steering post. i f

3. In a toy vehicle, a frame including a longitudinal bar, an axle carried at the rear end of the bar, rear wheels carried by said axle, a steering post rotatably mounted at journaled in said bearing sleeve, front' wheels carried by said axle, and means connected with said steering post for rotating the same. 4:. In a toy vehicle, a frame, a sleevei at the forward end of said frame disposed vertically, a steering post rotatable in said sleeve, a standard slidable in said steering post, a set collar enclosing saidv standard, the said collar and standard having registering apertures, a set screw threaded in said apertures, and wheels carried bythe lower end of said steering post. Y 7

5. In a toy vehicle, al supportinglframe, a T-union at the forward end of said frame having its opposite ends disposed vertically, a hollow steering post rotatably supported terposed between the said xT-,unions, a

standard received within said steering post, and a .set screw engageable in ,the saidthreaded registering openings.

6. In a toy vehicle, a frame, a T-union near the rear end of said frame having an opening extending upwardly, a sleeve fsenatures.l cured at its lower end in said opening, the said ysleeve being split inwardlyv from` its upper Zend, ears upon the upper :extremity of said sleeve one on each'side ofsaidv split portion, a bolt connecting said years,and a vseat carryingjstandardsnugly` engaged in said sleeve` 7. In a toy vehicle, .a frame including a longitudinal bar, an axlev carried at the rearfend of the bar, rear'wheels carriedby said axle, asteering post rotatably mountedf at the forward end of the bar, aT -union y.

havingr an vupstandingbranch fixed to said steering post and having horizontally disposed branches forming a bearing sleeve,

anv axle jou'rnaled insaidl bearing sleeve',

front wheels carried by said axle, a'stand-` ard slidab-le in 'said steering post, fastening imeans for fixing said standard to the steer-1 ingpost, andghandlebars carried by the. v

, standard.

V 8,. In a'toy vehicle` a longitudinal frame member including divided', sections, a Tf union having lateral branches and an4 upstandard branch,`said lateralbranches rre v ceivingand couplingv adjacent ends of'said divided sections of the longitudinal frame member, and said union having an opening in the bottom thereof, a sleeve secured inj the upstanding portion of said union, said drawing the split portion of thevv sleeve tosupported'fbythe standard..

In testimonywhereof they affixxtheirsig- JOHN c. KASHMEREL 'JAMEsKg noBERTsI- '1 ysleeve being'split at its upper end7 ya stand rard slidable in siaid' sleeve and inthe l'open-f` u u ing in the'bottom of the union, ymeans forl 7 y,

., 0 getherto clamp the standard, and al seatsl 

